Almost 200 people have been killed or seriously injured on Irish roads during August bank holiday weekends over the last decade, according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

The authority is appealing to people to drive safely this weekend and to be aware of the dangers of driving while tired. Research indicates that driving while tired may contribute to up to one-fifth of driver deaths every year in this country. This risk tends to be heightened during holiday weekends, as more people take to the roads and go on longer journeys.

"We've heard many stories about how people stay awake behind the wheel of the car, including rolling down the windows, turning up the music and even trapping their hair in the sun roof. Although these are certainly creative, they don't work and will not stop you falling asleep if you're a tired driver," explained RSA chief executive, Noel Brett.

He insisted that the only way to combat driver fatigue is to sleep.

"Pull in somewhere safe, drink a cup of coffee and take a 15-minute nap. When you wake up, get out of the car, walk around and get some air. This should allow you to drive for another hour," Mr Brett said.

The RSA emphasised that the impairment level of a driver who tries to fight sleep is the same as that for a drunk driver.

"Eventually a driver will drift in and out of consciousness and experience 'micro sleep', which can last for up to 10 seconds. Drivers can have a 'micro sleep' with their eyes wide open. If a driver has a 'micro sleep' for just four seconds while travelling at a speed of 100km/h, the car will have travelled 111 metres without a driver in control," it said.

Meanwhile, the Gardai will be conducting checkpoints nationwide over the weekend in an attempt to detect any risky road behaviour.

"Over the three-day August bank holiday weekend last year, there were 250 incidents of motorists driving while intoxicated. In addition, 1,222 fixed charge notices were issued to drivers who exceeded the speed limit. These are serious road traffic violations that contribute to a higher risk of death and serious injury," commented the Gardai's chief superintendent, Gabriel McIntyre.

He said that Gardai would be 'actively targeting' risky road behaviour, especially driving while tired, drunk driving, driving while on drugs and speeding.